Utilizing Educational Materials as a Mean for Improving Psychosexual Health of Breast Cancer Women

Abstract

Introduction The psychological factors for Breast Cancer BrCa are very important, as they assist in improving the adaptation of the new situations they have to deal with. Objectives This study is to provide psycho-educa-tional materials as intervention tools in enhancing coping with the psychosexual problems faced by Sudanese BrCa women. Methods Study sample of 89 BrCa women were randomly selected to either educational group (n = 30), intervention group (n = 29), or control group (n = 30). To be eligible for the study, women were married, sexually active with their husbands, and inhabitant in Khartoum state during the implementation of the study. Two scales were been filled by all the participants as measurements for this study and those are: Watts Sexual Function Questionnaire (WSFQ) which measures and provides a total sexual function score and subscale score for desire, arousal, orgasm and satisfaction. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is the other measurement that used in this study. Results Significant difference has been found in regard to HADS and WSFQ pre-and post-test analysis for the experiential group. Women assigned to the educational materials group had significant higher posttest scores on both HADS and WSFQ scales than women assigned to psychosexual intervention program. Conclusions It is in generally difficult for health-care providers to detect problems and hence to intervene. Information giving in form of educational materials goes beyond the period of treatment as many patients continue to have problems and need to be preparing for handling them.